I guess I fit on both sides of the fence, and all that does is give me a pain in the buttox.

This recent report about him possibly needed surgery sort of worries me, yet then again he plays through pain. I feel like if I have him on a team I should try to unload him for a player at a position that may not be as deep.Then again I feel like maybe an owner who over reacts (like I would be doing in the first scenario) might be willing to get rid of him and I can steal him from under the guys wing.

Is the current situationbuy high/sell highbuy low/sell highbuy high/sell lowor not really a situation at all

If you have already drafted him, I would just keep him. Maybe if he gets off to a real hot start, then I'd maybe attempt to trade him..

However, to anyone that hasn't had their draft yet...I'd stay clear of him unless you can get him with the 10th-12th pick.

Your 1st rounder likely won't be the reason you won your fantasy season, but he could be the reason you lost. For your 1st rounder, you should feel confident in your player...and there are some worries about Pujols.

I'm in a keeper league, so this is less of an issue. But, in redrafts the thing you have to keep in mind is that value is nonlinear. The difference between the best player and the 10th best player is much larger than the difference between the 40th best player and the 50th best player. So, blowing a first round pick is a BIG deal. It's not something that cannot be overcome, but it is a big blow. If you use Standings Gain Points, it puts you about 20 SGP behind your opposition. That's a big risk to take.

"I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to chase it."

Personally i think it is a huge mistake to take Pujols over Howard or Fielder so he is at best the 11th pick at this point. The downside is just way higher than the upside. In a keeper league I'd probably just keep him.

If you already have him (keeper, early draft), don't start a fire sale. He'll definitely play to open the season, and with a good start perhaps you can move him for commensurate value. Hell, he may even play the whole year and approach his career averages.In a redraft, though, he has to be dropped down the draft order. He can theoretically play through it, but said he didn't want a repeat of last year. And if the Cards fall out of the race (I'd guess they're looking up at the Brewers, Cubs and probably Astros), then all bets are off for your stretch run. As GTWMA suggested, going high-risk and losing a mid-round pick is not as costly as losing your first-rounder.

pujols has not once in his career had a healthy season, yet he always puts up sick, sick numbers...its gonna be insane if he ever strings together a few healthy years, but until his arm falls off i will continue to take him no later than 5th (after a-rod, wright, reyes, hanram)

GiantsFan14 wrote:pujols has not once in his career had a healthy season, yet he always puts up sick, sick numbers...its gonna be insane if he ever strings together a few healthy years, but until his arm falls off i will continue to take him no later than 5th (after a-rod, wright, reyes, hanram)

Yes, but...Pujols has said 2007 was the worst year ever for painPujols has said if the pain is as bad as last year, he will not play through it again.Nothing has been done--in fact, nothing can be done--to rehab the injury.The Cards are unlikely to contend this year, making this a good year to deal with the injury and recuperation.

I fully expect that Pujols may perform well; but I also fully expect him to shut it down by August 1.

"I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to chase it."

They have also said they will give him extra rest because of it this year. So he probably won't steal, he is in a mediocre lineup, he won't get as much playing time as in the past and he is at a pretty large risk to be shut down around the all-star break (they said 8 month rehab and he'll want to be ready for 2009. Even with all of that I think he is a late 1st round pick which says a ton about his talent. I just think it is plausible that he isn't shut down and still earns less than Howard/Fielder, both of them have a good shot to beat him in HR/RBI so his AVG has to compensate. There is just more risk than reward taking Pujols with like pick 5 or 6 in my opinion.